Sherriff Nick Finch Acquitted

Remember Sherriff Nick Finch that I wrote about?

It appears that he has been acquitted.

The New American Reports: (H/T John Birch Society’s HQ)

Justice has been served.

Minutes after noon on Thursday, October 31, an eight-person jury acquitted Sheriff Nick Finch of both charges against him. Finch, the sheriff of Liberty County, Florida, was accused of official misconduct and falsifying records. Finch maintained that he was simply standing up for the right of the people to keep and bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment.

The jury agreed, reaching its verdict in fewer than 90 minutes. Within minutes of being found not guilty, Sheriff Finch spoke with Governor Rick Scott, who reinstated Finch within hours.

“Sheriff Nick Finch will be reinstated immediately,” said Governor Scott in a written statement. “I would like to thank the members of the jury in Liberty County for their service in this trial. I would also like to thank Interim Sheriff Buddy Money for his service to the state of Florida.”

It is ironic that Scott would thank the citizens of Liberty County for their service on the jury when it was Scott’s removal of Sheriff Finch in the first place that served to effectively disenfranchise those very citizens.

[…..]

There is an additional disturbing aspect of the case not being commented on by other news outlets. Imagine that Sheriff Finch had released a man arrested and jailed for having openly preached Christianity in a public place. Would Governor Scott have been so hasty to remove Finch from office? Why would the rights protected by the Second Amendment be subordinate to those guaranteed by the First Amendment?

The protection of each of our God-given rights is as crucial to the perpetuation of liberty as any other. Freedom and self-government are threatened just as much by deprivation of the right to keep and bear arms as by a revocation of the right to exercise religion.

Governor Scott’s persecution and prosecution of a sheriff standing up for the Second Amendment rights of citizens of his county is particularly questionable given the hostile climate that threatens the right to keep and bear arms nationally.

It’s over now, though, and all is forgiven. The fact remains that Finch suffered substantial financial setbacks as a result of his removal and at press time, it was unclear whether Sheriff Finch would receive back pay for the four months he was suspended.

A defense fund was established to help Finch defray the cost of mounting a defense. It is a shame, however, that a good man, a duly elected, liberty minded lawman, was forced into this position by a few connected men and politicians eager to lean on an outsider.

“I am so grateful for all the support from patriots all across the country,” Sheriff Finch told The New American after he was acquitted. “I am thrilled to be back to work.”

I am glad to see that the court made a good decision. I was not sure about the details; apparently the Court didn’t see where the law was broken. I trust the decision. 

Mixed feelings on the Florida Sheriff Nick Finch case

I happen to run across this story and I am going to link to it; I am not going to quote it here, because it requires you to read the entire thing. The link below will open in a new window.

Please go check out Trial of Liberty County, Florida Sheriff Nick Finch Begins at the New American. 

Okay, here is my feelings on what I just read. On one hand, I feel that the second amendment is an important thing, and I am fully aware of the attempts by the liberal left to suppress that right by means of local and state regulation; as well as federal regulations. I believe that to be unconstitutional.

However, on the other hand; I am also someone who believes in rule of law. If the person that was stopped and was carrying such guns —- and that person did not have the proper permits to own and carry said guns, then the officer who arrested and booked this man, was simply doing his job.  I do not believe that being a second amendment supporter and being a sheriff of a town, entitles anyone of any office to knowingly break the law. Because that my friends is corruption. Anytime that any one of public office uses their position to grant favoritism, that is cronyism and this case, this man was caught.

If Nick Finch and his supporters want to see the law changed; then they should pressure their local legislators to get the law changed. What they should not do, is use their office of power to make political statements, such as releasing someone on a legit charge; that is no way to make changes in a law.

There is right way and a wrong way to handle situations like this; and it seems to me, that this man did things the wrong way.